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Dental Report – What Every Person Considering Cosmetic Dental Treatment Needs to Know

  • Posted on June 30, 2011 at 6:43 pm



EVERY dental or medical treatment has potential drawbacks. Cosmetic dentistry is no different. The problem is there are few dentists who actively discuss with patients considering these extensive and expensive treatments the true down side issues.

Personally, I believe you should always make choices particularly those regarding your own body, with all the available information. That way at least if there are problems or challenges down the road and you were informed about these possibilities you’ll know how to react and what needs to be done.

So what types of problems might you run across with cosmetic dental treatment?

Let me take some of the common treatments and outline the potential issues with each.

1. Bleaching: Now this seems to be a fairly easy and low concern treatment. It is done in nearly every dental office today. The vast majority of the time there are few if any significant problems with bleaching. In fact this is a treatment I readily recommend and feel comfortable doing.

Having said that, there is still potential for problems. The bleach used today is quite potent. In many cases a fairly strong light is used to help activate some bleaching materials. Both the bleach and the heat from the light can lead to significant sensitivity of the teeth. It is possible, although very unlikely, for a tooth to suffer permanent damage.

2. Bonding: This is a material used to change the shape and color of the teeth. It is a relatively low cost treatment to fix chipped or discolored teeth. The problems here often stem from the material itself.

Composites (a type of plastic) can stain over time. So they eventually and at times quickly lose their nice look. Additionally they are not as strong as some of the better and more expensive materials available. This leaves them somewhat more prone to breaking and requiring more frequent touchup and maintenance.

3. Porcelain Veneers: This is the treatment you see used on most of the TV shows. It is a small very thin piece of porcelain that is bonded to the front of the teeth to affect a shape, color or even position change in the teeth. They are great for closing spaces between the teeth and are another highly recommended cosmetic product.

What you need to know before having them placed on your teeth is this:

o They are expected to be on your teeth for the rest of your life. However, they won’t last that long so you must expect to replace them every six to ten years or so. This can be fairly costly.

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Cosmetic Reconstructive Surgery – When Will Your Health Insurance Cover You?

  • Posted on at 4:22 pm



Improving the facial structure or other parts of the body as an enhancement is not generally considered cosmetic reconstructive surgery. This typically falls into the elective surgery category. This article will discuss reconstructive surgery and the reasons it is performed. The basis for this surgery involves abnormal development, congenital defects, tumors, disease, infections and trauma.

By its very name, cosmetic reconstructive surgery denotes the fact that it is necessary to improve the quality of the patient’s life. It can improve function and in severe cases give the patient a more normal appearance. Because this surgery is not always done for beauty’s sake, it may be covered by health insurance companies. However, because insurance water’s can be murky, not every procedure will be covered as they can vary from company to company.

One area that could be considered primarily a cosmetic only procedure would be eyelid surgery. However, if the patient’s eyelids are drooping so badly that they cannot see properly it may be looked at in a different light. This procedure could indeed become cosmetic reconstructive surgery because the vision is impaired. A patient’s insurance company could decide that this surgery falls under the correct category and handle the costs.

Cosmetic reconstruction surgery on the hand would be another area that is necessary for functioning in life. If through an injury or automobile accident a patient has broken bones in the wrist then hand surgery may be the only option for that patient to lead a normal life. Nerve compression, Dupuytren’s disease or carpal tunnel syndrome are all valid procedures to improve the quality of life and thus would be considered cosmetic reconstruction surgery.

Breast cancer that results in a mastectomy causes a deformity that cosmetic reconstructive surgery could help produce a normal appearance for. The surgeon can use the tissues from the patient, and use implants or other prosthetics to achieve the shape, size and appearance of the breast. All of the aforementioned surgeries could be considered cosmetic reconstruction surgery as they help the patient lead a better life because they have functioning limbs and a normal appearance.

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New Findings on the Role of Glutathione in Cancer

  • Posted on at 9:20 am



Cancer cells and normal cells are known to respond differently to nutrients and drugs that affect glutathione status.

Numerous studies have shown that tumor cells have elevated levels of glutathione levels, which confers resistance to chemotherapy drugs.

One of the challenges of cancer therapy is how to deplete tumor cells of glutathione, so as to make them more vulnerable to the effects of chemotherapy drugs, while at the same time allowing normal cells to remain relatively unaffected by chemotherapeutic drugs.

A number of new findings have emerged that take into consideration the role of glutathione in pathways that promote programmed cell death (apoptosis) in cancer cells.

A German study has reported that glutathione (GSH) plays a critical role in cellular mechanisms that result in cell death. The study found that cancer cells resistant to apoptosis had higher intracellular GSH levels.

Depletion of glutathione in these tumor cells made them more vulnerable to the effects of anticancer drugs or the gene that promotes apoptosis (CD95 or APO-1/Fas). The researchers concluded that apoptosis resistance in tumor cells depends, at least in part, on intracellular GSH levels. (1)

In another study conducted in Spain, researchers found that lowering GSH concentration may be convenient not only for the efficiency of chemotherapy, but also to induce a rather fast and direct apoptosis mechanism in tumor cells. (2)

Based on that premise that the glutathione-S-transferase enzyme is expressed at high levels in many tumors, researchers at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Pennsylvania, went on to design a novel prodrug (PABA/NO).

The glutathione-s-transferase in tumor cells converts PABA/NO to lethal nitric oxide, resulting in death of the tumor cell. The prodrug was shown to have antitumor effects in an animal model for human ovarian cancer. (3)

In the fourth study, Polish researchers found that ingesting a selenium supplement is beneficial, as a supportive element in chemotherapy. (4)

Selenium is a co-factor of the enzyme glutathione peroxidase [GSH-P(x)] and was found to significantly increase the activity of GSH-P(x) in patients reciving the supplement.

A previous clinical study by the same researchers recommended the administration of selenium in patients with ovarian cancer undergoing multi-drug chemotherapy. (5)

Another interesting study by researchers in Texas showed that your chances of surviving a type of brain cancer, called primary malignant glioma, could depend on the type of glutathione-s-transferase (GST) gene you were born with.

Having a combination of a two specific variants of GST (germ-line GSTP1*A/*A and GSTM1 null genotype) confers a survival advantage in some types of brain cancers, but also comes with an increased risk of adverse events related to chemotherapy. (6)

There is compelling evidence to suggest a crucial role for glutathione and substances that target glutathione metabolism in the prevention and treatment of cancer.

Undenatured whey protein is one of the natural foods known to selectively deplete cancer cells of their glutathione, thus making them more susceptible to such cancer treatments as radiation and chemotherapy.

For a complete report on the research on undenatured whey protein and cancer see the report Glutathione (GSH) and Whey Protein in Cancer.

http://www.1whey2health.com/cancer_glutathione.htm

Disclaimer: The information here is not provided by medical professionals and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your physician before beginning any course of treatment.

References:

1. Friesen C et al. [Cell Death and Differentiation advance online publication, 23 April 2004]

2. Tormos C et al. [Cancer Lett. 2004 May 10;208(1):103-13.]

3. Findlay VJ et al. [Mol Pharmacol. 2004 May;65(5):1070-9.]

4. Sieja K et al. [Gynecol Oncol. 2004 May;93(2):320-327.]

5. Sieja K. [Pharmazie. 1998 Jul;53(7):473-6.]

6. Okcu MF et. al. [Clin Cancer Res. 2004 Apr 15;10(8):2618-25.]

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Massage Therapy – Information About the Career That You Need to Know!

  • Posted on June 29, 2011 at 3:42 pm



If you want to get into massage therapy then you need information about the career. Massage therapy can make a fantastic career but it isn’t for everyone. If you think that all you have to do is “rub” someone, think again. There is much more to massage than that. But if you enjoy working with clients and making them happy, you just might have found a lucrative career opportunity.

You will need to be licensed and each state handles the license in a different way, so you will need to check with your state licensing department to make sure you meet whatever regulations they require.

You will also need to know what type of massage you would like to specialize in. As I am sure you are aware, there are many different types of massage so you need to read up on them to find a style of massage that you think will suit you.

You will need to be ready for a lot of physical work. Massage therapy can be very demanding and can also be physically taxing to you.

You will need to be good with people. Since you will have a stable base of clients (and new clients as well) communication is going to be key. This job is not for folks that have anti-social tendencies. A big smile when greeting clients is important, so please take that into consideration when thinking about a career in massage therapy.

As you can see, massage therapy isn’t the prefect career for everyone, but if you are able to handle the above requirements, you may be on your way to a great job that you are happy to have!

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The Top Sinus Allergy Causes

  • Posted on at 11:35 am



Sinus cavities, though they are located in the head, open up in the nasal passages for free exchange of air and mucus. This is how the sinus allergy causes come into play, enter the nasal cavity and often cause sinusitis.

Sinus allergy causes can be many and varied. It can range from the pollen of flowers, dust, dirt, pollution etc. These sinus allergy cause the nasal cavity to become blocked. When the mucus cannot flow freely anymore, it becomes stuck inside the nasal cavity and that becomes a perfect breeding ground for allergies.

Pollen, a powdery substance released in the air by flowers is the most common cause for allergies. All sinus allergies causes center around the pollen and therefore spring is the worse time for sufferers. As the air is unusually dry in spring and the pollination season also starts, the pollen is carried easily by the dry breeze. This way it enters the body with the air we breathe. For those who are prone to sinus allergies the trouble begins at this stage. The body perceives of these sinus allergy causes as harmful substances and produces histamine to tackle their effects. The histamine causes itching in the eyes and a runny nose.

Some people have been seen to come down with allergies when they come in contact with animals like dogs or cats. For such individuals the sinus allergy causes lie in the micro-organisms that are present in the fur of these animals. Again it’s not that the sinus allergy causes are common for everyone, while some people fall seriously unwell when exposed to pollen or animals, others do not feel a thing. However for people who have an allergy to animal furs, the body reacts in the same way as it does with pollen and a case of sinusitis is soon in full swing.

Sinus allergy causes, whether it is pollen, animal fur, mold or dust is in most cases within ones sphere of control. Though there is not much that you can do to keep the pollen from coming in with the air, repeatedly cleaning the house often rids it of the other potential causes like mold and dust. Environmental triggers are the sinus allergy causes therefore try as much as possible to keep control on them. As long as the immediate surroundings of a person prone to sinusitis are clean, there are fewer chances of sinus allergy causes wrecking havoc on his or her system.

The answer to the riddle of why certain sinus allergy causes harm some people while leaving others unaffected lies in the hereditary make up of people. It is generally seen that people whose parents suffered from allergy of a certain type are predisposed towards them. Even unlikely sources like milk and milk products act as sinus allergy causes in some people with such hereditary make-up and can make them sick.

Once the diagnosis of what causes allergy is a person is done effectively, allergy causes can be controlled or even removed to restore normal breathing and life to the sufferers.

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Is it Vain to Go For Cosmetic Surgery?

  • Posted on June 28, 2011 at 8:35 pm



This depends on the reasons that one has when choosing such surgeries. Cosmetic surgeries, as the name suggest, is done for cosmetic reasons or as plain put across, it is to make one look better. Of course looking better can mean that it is for vanity reasons or it could also mean to look normal. What do I mean?

There are many men and women who have decided to go for cosmetic surgeries because they want a higher nose, a flatter stomach or a more defined calves etc. These reason are purely vain. And if someone were to say otherwise, I would call him or her a liar. But that does not mean that it is ethically wrong to seek cosmetic surgeries for vanity reasons. I am just saying that we should call an apple an apple and not try to hide the fact. There is nothing wrong here about being vain because society demands us to be vain sometimes.

But there are also many people who are choosing cosmetic surgeries because they were born with a deformity. Are they also doing it for vanity reasons? Actually yes but they are doing it because they want to be able to fit into society. Many of them just want to be able to look “normal” so that they can feel at ease being around people. Is it ethically right or wrong? That is not for me or anyone to judge but if someone does have a deformity and feels that he or she needs to look like everyone else in order to fit I, I do not see anything wrong about it.

Anyone who have make such a big decision to go for cosmetic surgery probably has a strong reason for doing so, and we should not judge them for it even if it is for vanity reasons.

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